Pushing and pulling
by Peder Andersson
Summary: A short intermezzo set 12 years after Twilight Princess


**Pushing and pulling**

Beth near the corner of her house and glanced over at Colin who came down the small slope that led to the goat pen. He had helped Link taking the animals inside as he did every night and now would do a little patrolling around the forest and village. She wanted to join him, had something to tell him. About ten years had passed since they returned from Kakariko village, she remembered how Colin had risked himself to save her and knew that was the seed for her affection. As the years passed their friendship changed into the relationship they had today. He had grown into a young man of Ordon with long blond hair, growth of muscle competing with those of Mayor Link and his eyes still posessed that sheen it had done in his young days.

Her heart stirred in her chest and a heat came to her lips. She lowered her eyes to the grass at her feet. As he had grown into a man she had grown into a woman. Beth did not know how he looked at her, just knew how he held her as they met in the twilight. How he kissed her as a greeting, as a parting. She took a step forward allowing him to see her. She wore a tight corset in red and leather that she had bought in the castle town, a pair of black trousers reaching to her knees then her soft low shoes. Her shoulders were naked, arms so too and the freckles on her face had grown strong during the summer. She looked at him in his simple white and sleeveless shirt stained with sweat, trousers and boots. To his belt he had a small knife in a ornamented scabbard, around his wrist he had a aged jewellery that she once had made for him. His armpits were dark with hair much like her own, she knew his odour would be heavy while hers was fresh.

Beth saw how he surveyed the dim night then began towards her. She ran for him and took shelter in his embrace, felt him dig his nose into her hair. Gently his fingers entwined with hers, he kissed her cheek and the radiant heat there. "We need to talk." Beth said into the vapour of his breath while his eyes settled firmly into hers. "Let's go to the spring." She kissed him and so made him more keen to agree with her then they escaped the village.

Link's old house was uninhabited so they did not have to sneak past. Instead they slowed their steps and began to caress each other with glances, smiled awkwardly while moist palms met. "Why are you all dressed up?" Colin asked curiously as the passed from one scenery into the next and they could hear the sound of water echo in the forest. "Something special?" He smiled and kissed her cheek leaving her lips longing for impact. "Is there something I have forgotten?"

Beth looked over her shoulder. "I have something to tell you." She smiled. "It's important." They made the last turn and saw the spring where they had met many times. He used to wash himself in the spring after work and sometimes she had done him company. But not today.

She sat down a safe distance away from the water while he began to undress. She regarded him with only the memory of embarrassment in her head, looked at the water as he disappeared into it and knew that it was time to speak. "Do you remember the night of the festival?" Beth asked and met his eyes.

"Yes." Colin replied without taking focus from his washing. "Are you going to complain again? I did as well as I could." He fronted her and began back towards her and his stack of clothes. He searched for her eyes but they avoided his. She was not in a playful mood and he sat down beside her. "What is it?"

Beth scratched her right ankle with a sigh. "My menstruation is late." She said the words coated in a thick sadness. "For two months." She did not look at him before she took shelter in his arms and allowed him to hold her. Hold her harder but more careful then he had done ever before. "I'm pregnant." She stuttered.

Colin kissed her forehead not really knowing what to say. He had not expected this, neither had she but he loved her and would take full responsibility. "I will have to ask for your hand." He said as tears came to his eyes. He kissed her forehead while he searched for her hand and seized it.

"All will think we married just because I got knocked up." Beth sobbed against his shoulder, felt her tears escape her cheeks and soil his skin. "Or worse."

Colin patted her back and leaned his cheek against her soft hair. "They wont think that." He brought her a little closer and felt his damp hair stick to her bare shoulders. "I am happy for us." She laughed slightly, he felt the gust of her breath against his chest. "Even if we have not talked about it, planned it I can still say that I am happy." He kissed Beth's hair scattering her sadness.

"I have been to worried to be happy." She said softly making her embrace of him more loving. "I thought you would get angry." Then Beth relaxed and closed her eyes.

"We haven't done anything wrong." He whispered softly into her ear. "Maybe we have just done our duty in keeping Ordon alive." A brief chill came to his body and he decided it was time to get dressed so he slipped from her embrace.

Beth brought her knees close to her body and looked away from his naked buns lit by the moon. "Link and Ilia have been at it for so many years and then we get it right the first time." She caressed the soft dirt with her hand as if it was his hair.

Colin smiled and looked at Beth over his shoulder. "We got lucky." He received her smile. "I think Link and Ilia will be happy for us. They're not that old, my mom was no chick when she got my sister."

Beth nodded then rose and brushed the dirt from her rear. "I have done some thinking and maybe we could live together in Link's old house." She felt his heat beside her and smiled. "But we have to do something about the ladder." Then Beth felt his presence at her side and he took her hand. "I don't know who owns it but..." Colin kissed the words from her lips and her cheeks received a faint touch of red.

"Link still owns it." He said after their lips had parted. "I'll talk to him about it at work." He remained close to her their shoulder rubbing together. "Let's make a public announcement at the village meeting in two days." He continued and sighed. "All this trouble because I pushed you out of the way." He allowed her to kiss his cheek.

"Yeah. You're such a hero." Beth rolled her eyes and a giggle chimed their way from her lips. "But my father angry father is far worse then a charging boar." She said and forced him to stop at Link's old house. "Can you imagine us living here together with a newborn babe?" She could, that was why she smiled.

Colin took his eyes from her and looked at the house. His imagination could not stretch to such a length at this moment so he smiled on her behalf. "I sort things out with link tomorrow." He said and rested a hand at her waist. "You better get to bed."

Beth glared at him and refused to walk. "Just because I'm pregnant does not mean I'm old." She said with a smile. "Can't we stay out a little longer?" She knew he would surrender to her lips and kissed him. "Please?"

"Fine." He sighed and squeezed her waist carefully. "Now I'll never get rid of you." He kissed he cheek then slumped down and leaned himself against the rock wall behind him. Beth joined beside him and he took her close, "I think we'll be happy together." He said into the thick vapour of her exhale. "They'll understand how we feel for each other."

Beth rested her head against his shoulder and closed her eyes. Fell asleep enveloped by his comfort and felt his arms cradle her through the night.


End file.
